Riviera Live! March 8 from a food lover and O newbie

[Aloha 1]

Wow, that's really disappointing for Toscana. It has been hands down, our favorite on Riviera. The service you describe is totally off from what it has been for us. I'd make a point to discuss this with the GM. It's not Oceania's normal.

[jonthomas]

Wow, not good for Toscana. We were really looking forward to it. Usually it is because of inexperienced staff. Hope things change by the time we are on it next week. 

 

Thank you for this.

[Fredrik]

Hands down some of the best service we’ve had on O R have been in Toscana. I’m celebrating my birthday on the next sailing and have specifically booked Toscana since it’s my favorite of all’s four SR. Love to sample the different oils so I would be just as disappointed as you are if the cart had not been rolled over. 

Edited March 13, 2022 by Fredrik

[Fredrik]

Any official head count for the crossing? Still some availability on board, but difficult to tell have many since I guess some cabins have been blocked. Would be interesting to know how many will be joining us.

[njhorseman]

Never cared much for Toscana . Pretentious service like the worst days in "fancy" restaurants of yesteryear. Questionable interpretations of Italian food. The cart with how many...oils and vinegars? Eight or ten of each? How are you supposed to figure out which you'd like. Ten of each means 100 possible combinations. As a result we always ask for butter, which invariably draws a look on the order of "What turnip truck did these people fall off of ?" Once we we had a fruit plate for dessert. The fruit was visibly spoiled. What chef lets that out of his kitchen to be served to guests? There are a couple of dishes we like and we stick to those, and stick to butter.

Edited March 13, 2022 by njhorseman

[kjbacon]

Just after I posted, the weather tried to clear and I was lucky enough to catch this gorgeous shot at breakfast.

 

We went to Guest Services and picked up the Art Scavenger Hunt pamphlet. As we were leaving the queue, there was an announcement that everyone could go into St. Lucia, yay! Things get better every minute. With art on our brain, we saw these very cool pieces on our walk around the island.

 

 

 

 

[jonthomas]

I was looking forward to having Veal Marsala one night in Toscana and the lasagna the next. But I am very picky. Have tasted very few really good veal marsala and lasagnas. Will risk it and if I dont like it, will get something else but will give it a try.

 

Disappointing about bread. Yeah, love it crispy, no soft bun for me. 

[Jancruz]

I would like to suggest you try Toscana again..I dont usually go there but it is because I do not like that kind of food..But I always find the service wonderful..love the oil and Balsamic cart and the Garlic is usually perfect and my favorite are the little round rolls..

Please try one more time..

Jancruz1

[WESTEAST]

Would also mention to the GM or, the Concierge your disappointment as we have found them to be most receptive. We enjoy Toscana but, not our favourite.

[LHT28]

I agree with Jan  give them another try

staff must have been having a bad night 🤔

 

If you have a problem speak to the manager  before you leave or even during the meal

 Unusual for Toscana not to have Focaccia

 

JMO

[makai 7]

We are on this cruise, our third on Riviera.  I am in agreement with kj about there being hits and misses so far.

red ginger was excellent all the way around.  All 6 of us enjoyed the meal and the service was excellent.  Don’t pass up on the rack of lamb, it was outstanding as was the watermelon and duck salad.

service in Jacques was very good but the meal was underwhelming.  The scallops were just ok.  The onion soup varied from person to person, inconsistent amounts of cheese and bread.  The crusty rolls were not to be found.

service in Toscana was second rate.  We too wondered why the oil and vinegar cart was not presented, in the past it always was part of the show.  Our server brought the wrong meal for one of our group.  Their filet with Gorgonzola was very good.  We enjoyed the gnocchi with 4 cheese sauce and the tortoloni.

service in Polo was excellent.  The lobster bisque was very good, and so was the salmon.  I was told that the ribeye was “ok” , and the carpaccio was very good.

the sushi in the main dining room buffet is still very good and so is the grill at lunch.

Main dining room lunch menu is split between items that are available every day, and a small selection that changes daily.  

 

Our butler has been less than good.  We don’t ask for much, but our few requests had to be made several times because he “forgot”.

we do see some reduction in quality in a few areas such as the complimentary laundry.  In the past it was neatly folded, with paper wrapping and in a basket.  Now it is returned crumpled and badly wrinkled in a laundry bag.  Those of us in penthouse suites did not receive tote bags.

 

overall, so far we are glad we came back and are having a lovely time.

Edited March 13, 2022 by makai 7

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, makai 7 said:

the sushi in the main dining room buffet is still very good and so is the grill at lunch.

Main dining room lunch menu is split between items that are available every day, and a small selection that changes daily.  

 

Our butler has been less than good.  We don’t ask for much, but our few requests had to be made several times because he “forgot”.

we do see some reduction in quality in a few areas such as the complimentary laundry.  In the past it was neatly folded, with paper wrapping and in a basket.  Now it is returned crumpled and badly wrinkled in a laundry bag.  Those of us in penthouse suites did not receive tote bags.

 

overall, so far we are glad we came back and are having a lovely time.

Main dining room buffet??  is this new?

 

Did you speak to the GM or Concierge  re your butler ?

[khuselid]

5 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I agree with Jan  give them another try

staff must have been having a bad night 🤔

 

If you have a problem speak to the manager  before you leave or even during the meal

 Unusual for Toscana not to have Focaccia

 

JMO

I gently complained once in Polo about some not so good swordfish I was served (I don't eat beef...I know). Boy did they bend over backward to make things better for me. The chef came out and he seemed to make it his personal mission to make my next meal 100% better and begged me to come back. When we did I felt like the queen of Polo.....now I'm kind of shy and didn't like all the attention but it seemed that my name got in a pipeline and after that experience I got a lot of extra attention!

 

So maybe let them know what didn't work. I LOVE Toscana because I don't usually eat pasta, but when on the ship I do and alway enjoy it. I will be sad if they have done away with the olive oil cart as there is some mad good olive oil on that cart!

[ronrick1943]

On 3/11/2022 at 2:48 AM, Eloise4Ever said:

I so appreciate you taking the time to do this live review kjbacon, thank you so much. We are boarding Riviera in a week for the transatlantic crossing and your postings are adding to my excitement. We are also doing the French menu in La Reserve and thanks to your photos I can tell it will be amazing.

When cruising “O” I have to admit La Reserve was always the best meal we had on the cruise.  You’ll enjoy the event—-it really is an event.

[ronrick1943]

16 hours ago, Aloha 1 said:

Wow, that's really disappointing for Toscana. It has been hands down, our favorite on Riviera. The service you describe is totally off from what it has been for us. I'd make a point to discuss this with the GM. It's not Oceania's normal.

We had the veal chop and it came out raw the first time, 2nd time well over cooked-you could say burned.  And it wasn’t on this cruise…….

Edited March 14, 2022 by ronrick1943

[kjbacon]

We had our second wine pairing dinner at La Reserve and to answer the most pressing question … the first (French) meal was the better of the two. This one, the Odyssey, was still very good and well worth doing.

 

First, the menu and the executive chef.

 

 

 

 

Delicious Amuse Bouche, raspberry panna cotta, and the beautiful table set.

 

 

My favorite dish of the night was the scallop seared on the river stone. That scallop was one of the best bites I’ve ever had and the sizzling presentation was fabulous. Jack’s favorite dish was the Foie Gras.

 

 

The Veal Wellington was only good and the Floating Island dessert was too sweet for us. To be fair, I don’t know if that is a reflection of the dish or of our taste. Everything was so beautifully presented and the service was impeccable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other especially nice touches were the finishing salts and that awesome wine decanter. Juni, the wine guy, is an absolute gem!

 

 

We still have very windy conditions and this is the bounciest Caribbean cruise I’ve ever been on.

 

Today, Antigua by day and Jacques by night!

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by kjbacon

[tvmovielover]

I am disappointed at the bad reviews for Toscana.  It was the specialty I was most looking forward to on our fall Riviera cruise.  OTOH, DH and I each had T's terrible veal chop once and never again.  Avoid it people!  Your La Reserve food porn pictures are making me think that is the place to try next.  Thank you for all the food shots.

[makai 7]

Oops, did I say main dining room buffet?  Dinner buffet at the terrace cafe is where you can enjoy sushi, grilled lobster, shrimp etc. at dinner.

 

we had another excellent dinner at red ginger last night.  The miso glazed sea bass was incredibly light.  It practically melted in my mouth.

 

 

[kjbacon]

Our warm welcome to Antigua,

 

The island looks beautiful and we are excited for our tour.

 

The GDR was happy to customize my breakfast and it was great. I’m ready for anything with that power meal!

 

The daily egg specials are creative and the ones we’ve had, have been very good. So far, I can remember Eggs Shakshouka, Scrambled Egg on a Savory Waffle, Ratatouille Frittata, and today was a Fried Egg on a Hamburger Patty.

 

The plant based foods are quite varied, definitely creative, and everyone I’ve had has been delicious. This is a very good ship for those who want to eat well but healthy, which I plan to start doing a little more of for the second half of our trip (at least for breakfast and lunch). I’d like to see some lower sodium dishes offered too.

 

We are being welcomed by a steel drum band and just look at this beautiful sight that we are about to discover up close!

 

[lorimay]

We are on this cruise also. Like everyone else we are encountering very uneven food and service.  We went to Toscana the first night and had excellent food and service- the food was better than on the Marina last fall. The night we ate in Red Ginger, our favorite, the food was good but everything was over sauced. The lobster pad Thai was swimming in sauce. Service was good. We had a bad experience in Polo. We had a late reservation but showed up 20 minutes early and they still made it clear we were their last table for the night. Even though the dining room was clearing out the service was incredibly slow. Steaks and crab cake good. The worst was we were surrounded by food critics who insisted on loudly telling the waiter what the chef could do better. 
 

we have given up on the main dining room for dinner (breakfast is great)! Service is slow and it is clear the waiters are in training. Food is not any better than in the Terrace with much less choice. Terrace is great for lunch but has been outstanding for dinner. Asian night was good and so was last night’s Caribbean night. Lamb chops from the grill were outstanding. 

One funny story - a woman followed me into the guest laundry yesterday afternoon and then watched carefully as I put my laundry in and got the detergent. She asked if I had done laundry there before and supervised the machine settings on my washer. I started the washer and set my timer on my phone and as I left she was sitting on the arm of the sofa watching my laundry (the only machine in use) go round and round like it was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen. It takes all kinds!

[jonthomas]

We sail O for the food. This is disturbing. Yes it occurs on all lines, when staff is just being trained, they will not be up to par for a while.

[JoePDX]

Thank you for all your great photos and commentaries.  We board Riviera exactly six months from today in Istanbul - it has been a long wait.   We have already signed up for the Bourgeois Menu in La Reserve, your photos definitely tell us we made a great choice.

 

Joe

[Jancruz]

7 minutes ago, JoePDX said:

Thank you for all your great photos and commentaries.  We board Riviera exactly six months from today in Istanbul - it has been a long wait.   We have already signed up for the Bourgeois Menu in La Reserve, your photos definitely tell us we made a great choice.

 

Joe

Joe,

Good to see you posting and that you are well and traveling..Stu is still fine tho we both grow older by the hour..

have a great cruise..

Jancruz1

P.S. I still have your dollar

[EmmaBeale]

1 hour ago, JoePDX said:

Thank you for all your great photos and commentaries.  We board Riviera exactly six months from today in Istanbul - it has been a long wait.   We have already signed up for the Bourgeois Menu in La Reserve, your photos definitely tell us we made a great choice.

 

Joe

I am on the same trip!  Wow can't believe it's only six months.  Mind you - It's been coming for over two years - Four time lucky right!  

 

And thanks so much for the photos and reviews - It's a rainy autumn day in New Zealand - Such a pick me up! 

[kjbacon]

Another mixed bag at Jacques. Overall, it was very good with a couple misses. We had the same issue with the Amuse Bouche that I need not cover again.

 

Appetizers were the best course of the night. My salad, Boston Lettuce with Roquefort Cheese, was perfect and one of the best dishes on the ship. Jack had the Scallop Gnocchis with Lobster sauce and the Gnocchis were good but the sauce was amazing.

 

 

Main courses were a split. The Lamb Loin was fabulous and the Rack of Veal was not, even though it looked beautiful.

 

 

 

Our veggies were both good, Cauliflower au Gratin and Haricots Verts.

 

 

 Desserts were another split. The Mille Feuille was delicious and the chocolate mousse had good flavor but not the light, pillowy texture that it should have had.

 

 

 

We have a good weather report for today so that’s a great start. Today is San Juan and tonight is Polo Grill.